taylor



H. B. TAYLOR.

CONTACT SHOE FOR AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED Auu u. 1911 4 4 SHEETS- SHEET I.

FIG. 1. l

I l/VVE/VTOR BY 7 ATTORNEY H. B. TAYLOR.

CONTACT SHOE FOR AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-9,1915.

Patented July 1, 1919.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

FIG. 2.

l/Vl/E/VTOH MM fl- T BY 6; ATTORNEY H. B. TAYLOR. v CONTACT SHOE FORAUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-9,1915.

Patented July 1, 1919. 4 SHEETSSHEET 3 INVENTORY ATTORNEY H. B. TAYLOR.

CONTACT SHOE FOR AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED AU'G.9. I915.

1,3Q, 53%w Patented July 1, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Arum/m HERBERT B. TAYLOR, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERALRAILWAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF GATES, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK. V

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 1, 1919.

Application filed August 9, 1915. Serial No. 44,497.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT B. TAYIDR, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the city of Rochester, in the county a of Monroe andState of New York, have invented, a new and useful Contact-Shoe forAutomatic Train-Control Systems, of which the following is aspecification;

This invention relates to contact shoes for automatic train controlsystems.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to devise a simple andinexpensive contact shoe for automatic train control systems which willbe strong and durable and which will act as a means for obtainingelectrical contact with suitable ramps and also, upon engagementwith aramp, as a circuit controlling device,

A further object of the invention is to devise a simple and compactcontact shoe for automatic train control systems which is so arrangedand constructed that appropriate automatic control of the speed of thetrain may be obtained, and also so that, when required, an absolute stopof the train may be obtained.

A still further object of the invention is to devise a simple contactshoe which is so arranged and constructed that provision is made for themovement of the vehicle upon "which the shoe is mounted both with andagainst the normal direction of traflic, and also for the surging orrecoil of the vehicle on its'springs at thetime it comes to ,a stop.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description of theinvention progresses, and the novel features of the invention will beparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the parts, and in the arrangements andcombinations of parts, more fully set forth hereinafter.

Indescribing the inventionin detail, reference is had to the accompan ngdrawing, wherein I have illustrated'a preferred physical embodiment ofmy invention, and where in like characters 'of reference designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a verticalsection through a contact shoe and a mountingtherefor embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a topplan view of thecontact shoe, the cover ofthe casing being removed;.Fig. 3 is afragmentary vertical taken substantially on the line 33 in Fig. 2; Fig.4 is a rear elevation of the contact shoe, the upper casing being shownin section; Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken enthe line 55 in Fig.1; and Fig. is a diagrammatic view showing the electrical wiring andconnections between the parts of the contact shoe and a certain assumedarrangement of devices, carried on the vehicle, the parts in said Fig. 6being shown in their normal position.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the contact shoe is arranged tobe supported in any suitable way (not; shown) preferably adjustably, onsome part of the vehicle, as a journal box, axle, truck side frame, orthe like; and for this purpose the shoe is mounted upon a bar 1 of woodor other insulating material, so that the shoe as a whole iselectrically isolated from the vehicle which carries it. The shoecomprises a main casting or body portion 2 whichis provided at its upperend with walls forming a box-like casing 3, which is used to house thecircuit controlling devices operated by the movements of the shoe, saidcasing 3 being provided with arcover 4 which makes a weather tight jointwith the lower portion of the casing and which is held in place byscrews 5 (see Fig. 4). The body portion 2 of the shoe is formed with atransverse, groove (see Fig. 1) in which'the bar 1 fits, and said bodyportion 2 is clamped to said bar 1 by means of a washer-like member 6and two clamping bolts 7.

The foot 8 cf the shoe, thatjs, the portion thereof which engages thecontact rail or ramp fixed along-the trackway, is disk-like in form andis hollowed out in its, under face for the purpose ofmaking it'light andso as to leave a narrow rim. The foot 8 of the shoe has a centralupstanding bearing stud 9, which is revolubly mounted in antifrictionbearing sleeves or bushings 10 in a shoe supporting arm 11, being heldin place by a clamping nut 12. In the body portion 2 ofthe shoe is acylindrical bore *13 in which is mounted a hollow spindle 15 integralwith a swivel block 14, said'spin- -dle 15 extending upwardly throughthe bottom of the casing 3. The supporting arm 11 is connected to theswivel block 14 by two parallel'links 16, each of which is pivoted atone end on a pin 17 secured in said swivel block, and at its other endon an outwardly extending stud 18 integral with the supporting arm 11 ofthe shoe, said other end being held in place on said stud by a nut 19(see Fig. 5).

The mechanism for operating the circuit controller of the shoe comprisesa plunger 20, which is secured to the supporting arm 11 by a pin 21 andextends upwardly through a sleeve 2 2-and through an arm 23, said arm 23being fastened to theturning spindle 15 by a pin 24; and to the upperend of the plunger 20 is fastened a head 25, one side of which is formedwith a concaved and beveled ridge 25 The sleeve 22 passes .looselythrough an arcuate slot 26 (seeFig. v2) in the bottom of the uppercasing 3 and also loosely through a hole in the arm 23, so that saidsleeve and the plunger 20 therein may have a limited amount of sidewiseplay relatively to the body portion 2 and the casing 3. The sleeve 22 isprovided with a downwardly projecting flange 27 and a compression coilspring 28 bears at its upper end against the underside of said sleeve 22inside of said flange 27 and at its lower end against the upper face ofa cap 29 which rests on the upperend of the supporting arm 11. Two tubes30 and 31 are secured to the sleeve 22 and cap 29 respectively and arearranged tele scopically together so as to form a protecting casing forthe spring 28 and prevent snow and the like from packing between itscoils. A spring 32 is mounted in the body portion of the shoesurrounding the hollow spindle 15 and one end of said spring 32 issecured to the arm 23 and its other end is secured to the body portionof the casing, said spring 32 serving to return the spindle 15 and theswivel block 14 to the extreme lefthand position as viewed in Fig. 2after it has been displaced'to the right as viewed in the same figure.

In the casing 3 is a shaft 33 which is secured in bosses 34 integralwith the end walls of said casing (see Fig; 2), and journaled on thisshaft 33 is a sleeve 35 carrying an arm '36, which has a V-shaped notch37 therein adapted to receive the beveled ridge 25 of the head 25 of theplunger 20. Also journaled on the shaft 33 are two contact holders (seeFig. 2), designated as a whole as C, and each comprising twosector-shaped plates 38 to which is secured a block 39 of insulatingmaterial; and one ofthe Sectorshaped plates 38 ofeach contact holder Gis provided with a projection 40 which fits in a corresponding,notch inthe sleeve 35, so that said contact holders 0 move simultaneously withthe sleeve 35. Contact strips 41 are suitably secured to the blocks 39,preferably by being molded therein; and arranged to coiiperate with saidcontact strips 41 are two pairs of contact fingers 43 and 44 which arebolted to blocks 42 fastened to the bottom of the casing 3 said pairs ofcontact fingers being insulated from said blocks 42 and from each other.The pairs of contact fingers 43 and 44 are nor: mally in contact withtheir corresponding contact strips 41 when the shoe is in its lower ornormal position, as shown in Fig. 1.

There is also provided an auxiliary shoe E, which in the particularconstruction shown and described, is arranged to control the devices onthe vehicle which cause said vehicle to come to an absolute stop; saidauxiliary shoe E being supported in the swivel block 14 so as to bevertically movable. In the particular construction shown the auxiliaryshoe-E, hereinafter termed the emergency shoe, has a squared shank 45which fits into a corresponding recess 46 in the swivel block 14; and tofacilitate the engagement of the emergency shoe with. a ramp or otherfixed stop device, said emergency shoe is provided with'two horns orprongs 47 at each end, which are shown to the best advantage in Fig.4. Aoove 48 is formed in one side of the shank 45 for part of the lengththereof (see Fig. 1), and a pin 49 is screwed in place in the swivelblock 14 to ooiiperate with said groove 48 and to limit the downwardmovement of said shank. In the recess46 is a compression spring 50, oneend of which bears against the upper face of the shank 45 of theemergency shoe E and the other end of which bears against the bottom ofthe recess 46. An emergency plunger 51 is pinned to the shank 45 andextends downwardly through the hollow in the spindle 15; and'at theupper end of this plunger 51 is fixed a contact disk 52 which isinsulated from said plunger in any suitable way. Two contact springs 53are secured to the supporting blocks 42 and are insulated therefrom; andthe contact springs 53 are arranged to press against the circumferemtial edge of the contact disk 52.

Referring to Fig.2, the arm 23 has an arcuate flat plate integraltherewith, and designated generally by the reference character 54, whichplate slides over the upper surface of the bottom of the casing 3 andconstitutes a cover for the slot 26 in said bottom of the casing 3. Acontact supporting member 55 is secured to the arm 23 on the oppositeside of the plunger 20, and suitably secured to this contact supportingmember 55, as by beingmolded therein, is a contact block 56. The contactblock 56 is arranged to make contact with a pair of contact fingers 57,which are secured to the blocks 42.

The head 25, which is secured to the plunger 20, has a cylindricalrecess therein in which is mounted a hollow detent or'latch 59 {seeFigs. 2 and 3) which latch is pressed outwardly by a spring (30, theoutward movement of said latch being limited by the engagement of a pin61 secured in the head 25 with an end of a slot 62 in said latch.Riveted to the end wall of the casing 3 is a stop block 63 having twoarc'uate faces 64 and (57 arranged one above the other in twointersecting planes and terminating in shoulders 66 and 65 respectively,which shoulders extend substantially radially toward the axis of theplunger 20. The latch 59 is arranged to cobperate with the shoulders 65and 66 respectively in certain moved positions of the foot of the shoeand the spindle 20, which positions will be more fully discussedhereinafter. Integral with the body portion 2 of the shoe are twodownwardly projecting lugs 68 arranged on opposite sides of the swivelblock 14 in position to be engaged by the links 16 when the foot 8 ofthe shoe and the swivel block 14 are swung in either direction so as tolimit their movement. Integral with the swivel block 14 are twooutwardly extending lugs 69 (see Figs. 4 and 5) which limit the downwardmovement of the links 16 and serve to support these links 16 and thefoot 8 of the shoe in its lower or normal position, shown in Fig. 1.

The wires and electrical connections in the casing between the differentcontact springs and parts are not shown in order to avoid confusion,butthese wires and electrical connections are shown diagrammatically inFig.

6. These conductors are preferably connected to the base portion of aplug coupling 70, which is held invplace by a bar 71 fastened thereto bya screw 72 and to the clamping member 6 by screws 73 (see Fig. 4). Theterminals of this plug coupling are connected to a flexible cable 7 4,which leads to the car upon which the shoe is mounted.

In order to make clear the operation of the shoe shown and described,the shoe is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 6 for controlling acertain arrangement of controlling circuits, constituting part of anautomatitrain control system with which the shoe is adapted to be used;but it isto be understood that this application of the shoe is merelyillustrative and that the shoe may be used with other controllingcircuits and other controlling devices. Referring to Fig. 6, the. trackrail upon which the vehicle or train runs, is designated by the numeral75, and one wheel of the train is designated by the numeral 76. The shoeis supportedin any suitable way upon the vehicle in position so that itsfoot 8 will make contact with suitable contact rails or ramps 77 locatedat different points along the trackway and in sulated from the trackrails. The movement of the vehicle or train may be controlled in anyway; but in the particular arrangement illustrated, the speed of thetrain is controlled by an apparatus designated generally as K, which isarranged to govern automatically the speed of the vehicle underconditions where the vehicle should proceed cautiously. Various devicescapable of performing the necessary functions of the apparatus K arewell known in the art, and it is deemed unnecessary to show and describethe detail construction of the apparatus K. At certain points in thetravel of the vehicle, as for instance, at placeswhere there arediverging tracks, it is desirable to provide means whereby the vehiclemay be brought to an absolute stop; and for this purpose a suitabledevice, as an electropneumatic valve, designated in Fig. 6 by E. P. V.,is arranged to control the venting of the train line of the well knownpneumatic system of brakes so as to cause an emergency application ofsaid brakes.

- The operation of the speed control apparatus K is controlled by acontrol relay 78 having two armatures 79 and 80; and when the armature80of said control relay 78 isin its upper position, corresponding to theposition assumed when said relay is energized, the speed controlapparatus K is energized from a local source of electric current on thetrain, as a battery 81, by a circuit which may be traced as follows:

Circuit mumber one.-

From the battery 81, conductor 82, armature 80 of the control relay 78in its upper position, conductor 83, speed control apparatus K, andconductor 84 back to the battery 81.

The other armature 79 of the control'relay 78 is included in a normallyclosed circuit for energizing said control relay from a local source ofcurrent on the vehicle, as a battery 85, when the shoe is in its loweror normal position, said circuit being as follows:

Circuit number two.

From the battery 85, conductor 86, control relay 78, conductors 87 and88, armature 79 in its upper position, conductors 89 and 90, contactfinger 44, contact block 41, contact finger 44, and conductors 91, 92and 93 back to the battery 85.

The control relay 7 8 may also be energized from the battery 85' when analternating current relay 94 is energized and its armature 95 is in itsupper position, according to a circuit which may be traced as follows:

Circuit number three.

From the battery 85, conductor 86, control relay 78, conductors 87 and97, armature 95 in its upper position, and conductors 96 and 93 back tothe battery 85.

One terminal of the alternating current relay 94 is connected by aconductor 98 to the wheel 76 of the vehicle and the other terminal ofsaid relay is connected by a conductor 99 to the body of the shoe, sothat when a difference of potential'eXists between the track rails and aramp with which the foot 8 of the shoe is in contact, current will passthrough the alternating current relay 94. This difference of potentialbetween a ramp and the track rails may be controlled in any suitable wayin accordance with the traffic conditions, as by track circuits andtrack. relays; but in the diagrammatic illustration shown in Fig. 6,there is shown a simple arrangement which consists of two wires 100connected to a generator 101 or other suitable source of alternatingcurrent, a transformer 102 whose primary is connected to the wires 100,and whose secondary is connected by a conductor 103 to the ramp 77 andby conductors 104 and 105 and a suitable controlling switch 106 to thetrack' rail 75.

The electropneumatic valve E. P. V. for controlling the automaticabsolute stop of the vehicle is shown as arranged to be idle orineffective when supplied with current, and to be set into operationwhen deenergized. The valve E. P. V. is controlled by a stop relays, andwhen the stop relay S is energized and its armature 107 is in its upperposition, the valve E. P. V. is supplied with current from a localsource, as a battery'108, according to a circuit which may be traced asfollows:

Circuit nu/mb er four.

From the battery 108, conductor 109, armature 107 of the stop relay S inits upper position, conductor.110, valve E. P. V., and conductor 111back to the battery 108.

The stop relay S is normally energized from a local source, as a battery112, according to a circuit which may be traced as folows:

Circuit number fine.

Circuit number six.

From the battery 112, conductor 113, stop relay S, conductors 114 and115, contact finger 43, contact block 41, and conductors 116 and 117back to the battery 112.

Having described the construction of the' contact shoe embodying theinvention and the arrangement of parts of an automatic tram controlsystem with which this contact shoe may be used. the operation of thecontact shoe and its functions may now be made clear.

Operation: As the vehicle which carries the contact shoe moves along thetrackway the foot 8 of the shoe engages a contact rail or ramp 77, andsince the end portions of this ramp incline gradually upward the foot 8of the shoe is gradually raised. When the foot 8 of the shoe and thesupporting arm 11 are raised they rock the links 16 up about the pin 17as an axis, the loose fitting of the sleeve 22 in the slot 26 of thecasing 3 and in thearm 23 permitting the slight outward movement of theplunger 20 necessary to permit this rocking of the links 16. During thisupward movement of the sup porting arm 11, the spring 28 is compressedand the head 25 secured to the plunger 20 is raised; and by acotiperation of the beveled ridge 25 with the notch 37 in the arm 36 ofthe sleeve 35, the sleeve 35 is rocked and swings the contact holders Cso as to bring the contact blocks 41 out of contact with the pairs ofcontact springs 43 and 44. The separation of the pairs of contactsprings 44 and their corresponding block 41 interrupts the normallyclosed circuit for energizing the control relay 78, hereinbefore setforth and designated circuit number two.

Assuming that the traflic conditions are such that the vehicle may passby the ramp 77 and proceed forsome distance at an unlimited speed, therewill be a difference of potential between the ramp 77 and the track rail75, that is. in theparticular arrangement shown, the switch 106 will beclosed. Then, when the foot 8 of the shoe engages the ramp 77 and makeselectrical contact therewith, current will be supplied to thealternating current control relay 94 from the secondary of the tracktransformer 102 according to a circuit which may be traced as follows:

Circuit number seven.

From one terminal of'the transformer 102,

conductor 105, closed switch106, conductor 104, track rail 75, wheel 76,conductor 98, relay 94, conductor 99, body of the shoe along supportingarm 11 to the foot 8 and thence to the ramp 7 7 and by conductor 103back to the other terminal of the secondary of the transformer 102.

The alternating current relay 94 being energized, its armature 95 israised to complete the pickup circuit for the control relay 78,hereinbefore set forth and designated circuit number three.Consequently, although the normally closed circuit number two forenergizing the control relay 78 is broken by the raising of the foot 8of the shoe, the pickup circuit number three for said control relay issimultaneously established and the effect is that the control relay willremain energized and its armatures will remain in their upper-position,thus retaining the speed control apparatus K in its normal or idlecondition.

In case, however, trallic conditions are such that the vehicle should beplaced under the restraint of the speed control apparatus K, nodifference of potential exists between the ramp 77 and the track rail75; or, in other words, the switch 106 is open. lonsequently, thealternating current relay 9% is not energized, and the pickup circuitnumber three for the control relay 78 is not established; and since thenormally closed circuit numbe two for the control relay 78 is broken.said control relay 78 will be deenergized. When the control relay 78 isdeenergized, its armature 79 drops and makes a break in the normallyclosed circuit number two, so that after the foot 8 of the shoe has leftengagement with' the ramp 77 and has returned to its normal or lowerposition, although the contact block 41 again makes contact with thecontact fingers 44, the circuit number two is interrupted at thearmature 79 and will not be reestablished. In other words, whenever thecontrol relay 78 is de'e'nergized, it will remain deenergizedirrespective of the position of the contact shoe, until the armature 95of the alternating current relay 94 is raised. Also, when the controlrelay 78 is deenergized, its armature 80 drops and interrupts thenormally closed circuit for the speed control apparatus K, hereilrbeforeset forth and designated circuit number one; and consequently the speedcontrol apparatus K is set into operation.

From the foregoing it can be seenthat by properly controlling thedifierence of potential between the ramps along the trackway and thetrack rails, the speed control apparatus may be set into operation asrequired.

At some points in the travel of the vehicle it may be desirable to bringthe vehicle to an absolute stop, as for instance, at a point where thereare diverging tracks and the movement of trains is controlled by aninterlocking plant; since in this case, if a train continued to move,even at a very low speed, along a certain track, it might come into thepath of a fast moving train and result in serious damage. In the shoe.em-

bodying the invention provision is made for such cases by the auxiliaryemergency shoe E, the movement of which is controlled by a suitablemovable member or ramp 130 which is shown in full lines in Fig. 1 in itslower position, in which the emergency shoe is not operated, and in dashlines in its uppe position. When the emergency ramp 130 is in its upperposition, the emergency shoe E engages said ramp and is raised againstthe opposition of the coil spring 50. and the upward movement of theemergency shoe is transmitted to the plunger 51, which moves the contactdisk 52 out of contact with the contact springs 53 and breaks thenormally closed circult number five for energizing the stop relay S. Ifthe foot 8 of the shoe is raised at the same time, the contact block 41will be out of contact with the pair of contact. fingers 43 and thecircuit number six for energizing the stop relay will also be broken.Consequently, when the foot 8 of the shoe and the emergency shoe E areboth raised, the stop relay S is deenergized, and its armature 107 dropsand interrupts the normally closed circuit number four for energizingthe electropneumatic valve E. P. V. lVhen the valve E. P. V. isdeenergized it causes an immediate application of the brakes in anysuitable manner, and preferably prevents the release of the brakes untilthe vehicle or train has been brought to an absolute stop.

In order to cause the operation of the electropneumatic valve E. P. V.it is necessary to raise not only the emergency shoe E, but also thecontact shoe, so that the accidental elevation of the emergency shoe E,as by obstructions along the'tracluvay, will not cause an application ofthe brakes. Obviously, after the emergency ramp 130 has been lowered toits normal position, the spring 50 will restore the emergency shoe E andthe plunger 51 to thei lower or normal position, and reestablish one ofthe multiple circuits for energizing the stop relay S, that is, circuitnumber five. In this way, the stop relay S and the valve E, P. V. may bereenergized to permit the train to proceed.

It may happenthat the locomotive or motor car which carries the contactshoe will move along the trackway in a direction opposite to the normaldirection of traflic, and in such cases the locomotive or motor carwould encounter ramps between which and the track rails no difference ofpotential would exist, since the track circuits or other-controllingdevices used for governing the difference of potential between the rampsand the track rails will be affected by the locomotive or motor car asit approaches each ramp in the same way as they should be affected inorder to protect properly the trains moving in the normal direction oftraflic. F orthis reason, it is desirable to provide means whereby themovement of the locomotive or motor car against the normal direction oftraflic will not cause it to be stopped. For this purpose, the contactrails or ramps 77 are all located on the same side of the track withreference to the normal direction of trafiic, as for example, on theright-hand side of the track; and, when a vehicle is approaching in thenormal direction of traffic. as in the direction indicated by the arrow200 in Fig. 2, and the 'foot 8 of the shoe strikes a ramp 77, thefriction between the foot 8 and the ramp 77 causes the foot 8, thesupporting arm 11, the links 16 and the swivel block 14 to swing about avertical axis-backward to the position indicated in full lines in Fig.2, one of the stops 68 limiting this movement. In this swinging movementof the contact shoe the sleeve 22 carrying the plunger 20 moves in theslot 26 in the casing 3 of the shoe, and carries with it the arm 23. Inthis particular swinging movement of the contact shoe correspondingtothe movement of the vehicle in the normal direction of traffic themovement of the arm 23 does not change the controlling circuits; andbecause of the curved'or concaved shape of the ridge 25 of the head 25,this ridge 25 maintains its engagement with the arm 36 of the sleeveduring this swinging movement. \Vhen the foot 8 of the shoe reaches theend of the ramp and gradually drops, the foot 8 of the shoe is stillheld. by the friction between it and the ramp in its swung position sothat the latch 59 engages behind. the shoulder 65 of the lower guide64:.

Inthis way, the shoe is ordinarily held in its backward swung positionso that on the engagement with the next ramp going in the normaldirection of traffic, the backward swinging movement of the shoe doesnot have to take place.

Assuming that the vehicle is moving against the normal direction oftraiiic, that is, in adirection opposite to the direction indicated bythe arrow 200 in Fig. 2, then, when the foot 8 of the shoe engages aramp, the foot 8 is lifted to raise the head 25 andcarrythe latch 59 outof engagement with the shoulder 65, and the friction between the foot 8of the shoe and the ramp swings said foot 8, the supporting arm 11 andthe swivel block 14 about the axis upon which said swivel block ispivoted, in the direction opposite to the direction in which the vehicleis traveling, to the position indicated by the dash lines in Fig. 2,one: of the stops 68 limiting this swinging movement of the shoe. Whenthe contact shoe is swung to this position, the contact block 56 isbrought into contact with the contact springs 57 so as to establish ashunt for the contact fingers t4. Consequently, although the contactshoe is raised, and although no difference of potential may existbetween the ramp 77 and the track rail 75, the control relay 7 8 remainsenergized by reason of the existence of a circuit which may be traced asfollows:

Circuit number eight.

From the battery 85, conductor 86, control relay 78, conductors 87 and88, arn'iature 79 in its upper position, conductors 89 and 120, contactspring 57, contact block 56, contact spring 57, conductors 121, 92 and93 back to the battery 85.

lVhen the vehicle is traveling against the normal direction of trafficand the foot 8 of the shoe is swung to the position indicated in dashlines in Fig. 2, as hereinbefore described, the latch 59 is pressedinwardly by the guide 67, and when the foot 8 of the shoe is fullyswung, snaps behind the shoulder 66, so that, so long as the foot 8 ofthe shoe remains in its upper position, said foot will be held againstswinging movement in either direction, the stop 68 limiting its movementin one direction and the cooperation of the latch 59 and the shoulder 66limiting its movement in the other direction. In this way, although thevehicle in proceeding against the normal direction of traffic may cometo a stop while its contact shoe is in engagement with a ramp, thebackward surging orrecoil of the vehicle upon its springs just at theinstant it comes to a stop is unable to shift the foot 8 of the shoe andseparate the contact block 56 from the contact springs 57 If the'contactblock 56 should separate from the contact springs 57, the circuit numbereight, which at that time would be the only circuit for energizing thecontrol relay 78, would be broken and the apparatus K would be set intooperation. As soon as the foot 8 of the shoe returns to its lowerposition, the engagement between the latch 59 and the shoulder (36ceases and the coil spring 32 (see Fig. 1) returns the shoe to its otherextreme position shown in fnll lines in Fig. 2.

The foot 8 of the shoe is revolubly mounted in the supporting arm 11 sothat the foot 8 in engaging a ramp at one side of its axis will berotated with a scraping action which insures a better electrical contactbetween the foot 8 and the ramp.

Although the contact shoe shown and hereinbefore described comprises twoseparate shoes, in some cases the use of the emergency shoe E may befound to be unnecessary; and it is obvious that this emergency shoe Emay be omittedwithout destroying the effectiveness of the other shoe.Also, although a particular arrangement of track way circuits along thetrackway and for an automatic train control system, has been illustratedin Fig. 6, it is to be understood that this Fig. 6 merely shows anillustrative application of the contact shoe, and that, the contact shoeis not limited in its application to this particular arrangement.

Although I have particularly described the construction of one physicalembodiment of my invention, and explained the operation and principlethereof; nevertheless, I desire to have 1t understood that the 'formselected is merely illustrative, but does not exhaust the possiblephysical embodiments of the idea of means underlying my invention.

1. A contact shoe for automatic train control systems comprising asupporting arm mounted to swing horizontally and to rock vertically;circuit controllers operatively connected to said arm and actuated byits swinging and rocking movements respectively: means for locking saidarm against, swinging movement in one direction when said arm is raised;and means for locking said arm against swinging movement in the otherdirection when said arm is lowered.

1A contact shoe for automatic train control systems comprising asupporting arm mounted to move vertically and horizontally; a circuitcontrolling device operated by a horizontal movement of said arm in onedirection: means for latching said arm when raised against horizontalmovement in a direction opposite to said direction; means for lockingsaid arm when lowered against horizontal movement in a direction the.same as said first-mentioned direction: and a circuit controlling deviceoperated by the vertical movement of said arm.

3. A contact shoe for automatic train control systems comprising avertically movable. plunger; a circuit. controlling device operated bysaid plunger: a spring for resiliently pressing said plunger downwardly;means r'or limiting the downward movement of said plunger; aml aprotecting casing for said spring comprising tubes arrangedtelescopically.

l. A contact shoe for automatic train control systems comprising asupport a body secured to said support aml insulated therefrom; anelectrically conducting arm movably mounted on said body; a circuit controller operated by said arm; a vertically movable plunger mounted onsaid body; a second circuit controller operated by said plunger: and twomultiple circuits controlled by said circuit controllers.

A contact shoe for automatic train control systems comprising a support:a body portion secured to said support and insulated therefrom; a swivelblock mounted in said body portion to turn on a verti fill axis; a foothaving a contacting surface: a pair of links hinged at one end to saidswivel block and at their other ends to said foot; a vertically mova'bleplunger secured to said foot; means for limiting the downward movementof said arms; a spring for pressing said plunger downwardly; and acircuit controlling device operated by the upward moven'ient of saidplunger.

(5. Ina contact shoe for automatic train control systems, incombination; a railway vehicle: a support carried by said vehicle: acontact shoe carried by said support aml comprising a body portionsecured to said support and insulated therefrom: an electricallyconducting arm movably mounted on said body; a circuit controlleroperated by said arm; a vertically movable plunger mounted on said body;a second circuit controller operated by said plunger; two multiplecircuits controlled by said circuit controllers: means for controllingthe movement of said vehicle; and a circuit for controlling said meansincluding said two multiple circuits.

7. A contact shoe for automatic train control systems comprising a bodyportion provided with an inclosed casing, a movable element supported bythe body portion and adapted to be lifted vertically and to swinghorizontally in either direction, and circuit controlling devices in thecasing adapted to be operated independently in accordance with themovements of said movable element.

8. A contact shoe for automatic train control systems comprising a bodyportion provided with an inclosed casing. an oscillatory contactcarrying member supported within said casing, a plunger, an arm securedto said member and extending over the end of the plunger, wherebymovement of the plun ger *auses oscillation of the, member and alsoholds it in its oscillated position, and means for operating theplunger.

9. A contact shoe for automatic train control systems comprising asupport, a movable arm carried by the support and arranged to swinghorizontally in either direction. and resilient means tending to movesaid arm to its extreme position in one direction.

10. A contact shoe for automatic train control systems comprising asupport, a movable arm carried by the support and adapted to swing bothhorizontally and vertically, and resilient means tending to move the armhorizontally in one direction.

11. A contact shoe for automatic train control systems comprising asupport, a block swiveled in the support to turn on a vertical axis, anarm supported by links from the block and arranged to swing vertically,means tending to move the arm downward to a predetermined lowerposition, a circuit controlling device operated by the movement of saidarm, and another circuit controlling device operated by a partialrotation of said block.

12. A contact shoe for automatic train control systems comprising asupport. a block carried by the support and adapted to turnhorizontallyabout a vertical axis. a movable arm supported by said block and capableof having a vertical movement. meanstending to move said arm downward toa prtaletermined lower position. and means tending to move the. blockand arm horizontally in one direction.

13. A contact shoe for automatic train control systems comprising asupport, a

ward to av predetermined lower position,

means for locking the arm against horizontal movement in one directionwhen the arm is in its lower position, and means for preventing thehorizontal movement of the arm in the opposite direction when the arm isr raised.

15. A contact shoe for automatic train control systems comprising twoseparately movable elements, separate circuit controllers operatedselectively by the movement of said elements, and a circuit having twobranches in multiple each including one of the circuit controllers.

16. In an automatic train control system, the combination with twoseparate train control devices, of a contact shoe having separatelymovable elements and adapted to selectively control said train controldevices.

17. In an automatic train control system, the combination with twoseparate train control devices, of a contact shoe having separatelymovable elements, means operated by one element for governing one of thetrain control devices, and means governed jointly by both elements forcontrolling the other train control device.

18. Impulse transmitting means for automatic train control systemscomprising a circuit controller having a movable part socured to arocker shaft on a vehicle, an arm on the shaft having a notch therein, aplunger on the vehicle arranged to move lengthwise, a toothed membercarried by said plunger and cooperating with the notch in said arm,whereby movement of the plunger causes said shaft to be rocked to apredetermined extent regardless of the extent of movement of theplunger, and means along the track for causing movement of the plunger.

19. In an automatic train control system for railways, the combinationwith a combined impulse receiving device comprising two movableelements, of a train control device, two circuits in multiple forcontrolling said train control device, and circuit controlling devicesone included in each of said circuits and controlled separately by saidmovable elements.

20. In an automatic train control system for railways, the combinationwith an impulse receiving device on a vehicle including two influenceelements, of two sepa rate train control devices on the vehicle. meansoperated by one of said elements for governing one of the train controldevices, means governed jointly by both elements for controlling theother train control device. and impulse transmitting devices along thetrack for cooperating with said impulse receiving device.

HERBERT B. TAYLOR.

